Is Your Praise Greater Than Your Pain?

Debby DeStefano • March 31, 2025

"I will bless the Lord at ALL times: praise shall continually be in my mouth".

Psalm 34:1

I’m not going to lie, the past 3 years have not been a Sunday School picnic. Starting with 2 failed back surgeries and the progression of my small fiber neuropathy and then year before last (2023) the passing of my precious Dad, my mother-in-law Vincetta, and then my sweet sister Trudy. All within a few weeks. Then throw in my husband Carlo’s heart attack and quadruple by-pass. I’ve always said that our family doesn’t do calm and easy. (Probably because there is Italian blood in the mix. ;) ) Because I have been down so long, obviously I have had a lot of time to think. Right from the beginning though, I made the decision to get “better” not “bitter.” I know getting bitter is so easy to do and I will admit there have been moments when I have been tempted to fall into that trap. You might have to remind yourself to not get bitter and choose better. 


“ Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.” Psalm 150:6 


I have watched many people over the years and have observed how they respond to trials and pain. It really is about a conscious decision to choose joy over defeat. Notice that I didn’t say happiness because that is ever changing and temporary, but joy comes from deep in your soul and mind. Joy comes only from the Lord. Remember the Sunday School song, “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength?” We draw strength from the Lord as we experience joy. 


“…for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 


Do you know that Satan would love nothing more than to see you defeated and discouraged but I think it confuses and angers him when he sees someone praising the Lord in the midst of their trials. Remember Job? That’s a good book to read when you are down in the dumps and think that nobody has trouble and pain like you do. Wow! That poor man really went through trial after trial and in a constant state of pain and persecution from his “friends.” I don’t think any of us have had it that bad. Yet the Bible tells us that he didn’t lose faith and still trusted the Lord to bring him through. I wonder if Job sang praises to the Lord? I find singing songs to the Lord not only honors Him but also you will find that it lifts your spirit. And no, I don’t mean singing “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.” God knows and He cares. “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” “I Sing Praises to His Name.”  And my favorite song that I sing all the time, “It is Well With My Soul.” So many other praise songs run through my mind. Even songs of praise sung through tears will soon turn your tears into joy. The song, “Tears Are a Language God Understands,” comes to mind. You may say, “I don’t feel like singing praises.” Remember your feelings are what always get you in trouble. Remember the saying, “Fake it until you make it?” I’m not saying to fake it, but once you start singing, you will be surprised how when you meditate on the words, that God will turn your sorrow into joy and praise. 


“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Psalm 28:7 


If you are going through a trial and you are in pain (physical or heart), start singing. Rejoice in the Lord. Sometimes we get so focused on our own pain and troubles that that’s all we see and feel. I think about so many others who are going through much greater pain and trials, and it makes me realize that it could be so much worse. When we take our eyes off ourselves, it forces us to reach out to others and pray for them and try to encourage them in the Lord to not give up. To make our praise greater than our pain. It truly is “Well With My Soul” and I am safely “In His Hands.” 


“Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” John 16:20



About the Author

Debby, the daughter of our church founder, has dedicated her life to serving God at Fairwinds Baptist Church. Now a retired pastor's wife, she continues to inspire us with uplifting devotionals, choosing joy despite her health struggles. Her unwavering faith enriches our community and reflects our mission to know God through Jesus Christ.

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“ 1 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 6 I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” Psalm 13:1-6 I love the book of Psalms. I have read it over and over again. It is always an encouragement to me. There is so much packed in that book of short chapters. One time I went through each chapter and underlined or highlighted the beginning of the chapter which was many times David lamenting and crying out to God about what was going on in his life. But I love how by the end of the chapter, he is rejoicing and praising God even in his difficult and hard times. I highlighted those last verses as well. If you can, sometime you should do the same. It will amaze you and encourage you how uplifting reading and highlighting those verses will be in your own life and situations. It brings this verse to mind. "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 2 Corinthians 1:4 How many times do we go through situations and trials thinking that there is no end to our pain and suffering? That things will never change. The book of Psalms is so encouraging when we see how David starts out in so much sorrow and pain but by the end of the chapter his attitude changes and he is rejoicing and praising the Lord. Does that mean that God fixed all of his problems, and everything is great, and problems resolved? No! If you read carefully, you will see that David still has threats on his life and many other issues that still plague him. So, what does that mean? It means that no matter what is going on in your life and whatever circumstance you are in, that we should still praise Him. "I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1 Is that easy? I will be the first to tell you that it is not. But as we mature in our spiritual journey, we learn that we need to depend on the Lord and trust in His will for our lives. That’s not always what we want to hear or experience but as I have said before, that is what grows our “trust muscles” and makes us stronger followers of Christ. “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Are you going through a trial right now? Do you feel like there is no hope? No end? No solution? That you or things will never be “normal” again? We all go through these times in our lives and if we look at the physical and hard circumstances that we face, it is easy to take our eyes off the Lord and dwell on our own pain. But don’t give up and don’t give in. Regardless of your situation, set your eyes on the Lord. Praise even when you don’t feel like it. Sing praise songs and it will amaze you that after a while you will be singing with your heart being refreshed and strengthened. Remember that God is working this out for your good even if we can’t see it. Trust in Him! “ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 “… And all my life You have been faithful And all my life You have been so, so good With every breath that I am able Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God.” © 2018 Bethel Music Publishing